The Plum Line: Morning Plum


Posted at 09:13 AM ET, 05/20/2013

The Morning Plum: Presidential scandals, only in the minds of Republicans
By Greg Sargent
A new poll finds that large majorities of Republicans see Obama wrongdoing in the IRS and Benghazi stories -- while moderates and independents accept the White House version of events.

By Greg Sargent  |  09:13 AM ET, 05/20/2013 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
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Posted at 09:19 AM ET, 05/14/2013

The Morning Plum: A reality check on Beltway scandal-mania
By Greg Sargent
Cut through all the jubilation, and we're still stuck in a situation where the GOP cannot get its base to agree to anything compromising or constructive.

By Greg Sargent  |  09:19 AM ET, 05/14/2013 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
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Posted at 09:23 AM ET, 05/13/2013

The Morning Plum: Time for caution in scandal coverage
By Greg Sargent
With another season of Washington scandal feasting upon us, the temptation will be great to resort to journalistic shorthand and loaded language -- and to avoid supplying crucial context -- just as happened in the 1990s.

By Greg Sargent  |  09:23 AM ET, 05/13/2013 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
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Posted at 09:21 AM ET, 05/10/2013

The Morning Plum: Bad 1990s Hillary is back
By Greg Sargent
The Benghazi "scandal" hearkens back to the more lurid attacks on Hillary Clinton of the 1990s.

By Greg Sargent  |  09:21 AM ET, 05/10/2013 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
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Posted at 08:53 AM ET, 05/09/2013

The Morning Plum: One party is threatening the recovery far more than the other is
By Greg Sargent
Kudos to the New York Times for accurately reporting that the consensus among economists is that deficit reduction and spending cuts are a drag on the recovery.

By Greg Sargent  |  08:53 AM ET, 05/09/2013 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
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Posted at 09:24 AM ET, 05/06/2013

The Morning Plum: Joe Biden is right -- the gun fight is far from over
By Greg Sargent
It is in the interests of Democrats to continue pushing the gun issue, even if the odds of eventual success are long.

By Greg Sargent  |  09:24 AM ET, 05/06/2013 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
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Posted at 09:14 AM ET, 05/02/2013

The Morning Plum: The one quote that says it all about Obama and the GOP
By Greg Sargent
No, more presidential "leadership" is not the way to secure cooperation from a party that wants to deny a president any victories of any kind.

By Greg Sargent  |  09:14 AM ET, 05/02/2013 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
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Posted at 09:19 AM ET, 05/01/2013

The Morning Plum: A good move on the housing crisis
By Greg Sargent
Will Republicans filibuster Obama's pick to oversee Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac -- a black former Congressman who is devoted to bringing relief to distressed middle class homeowners?

By Greg Sargent  |  09:19 AM ET, 05/01/2013 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
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Posted at 09:05 AM ET, 04/29/2013

The Morning Plum: How conservatives will try to kill immigration reform
By Greg Sargent
Will the right's campaign to kill reform really prove as fearsome as advertised?

By Greg Sargent  |  09:05 AM ET, 04/29/2013 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
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Posted at 09:02 AM ET, 04/26/2013

The Morning Plum: The problem gun reformers face
By Greg Sargent
New signs have emerged that the gun debate is not over yet. But reformers still have yet to prove that they can extract a political price from Senators who stand in their way.

By Greg Sargent  |  09:02 AM ET, 04/26/2013 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
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Posted at 09:07 AM ET, 04/25/2013

The Morning Plum: GOP makeover is impaired by delusional thinking
By Greg Sargent
The GOP will not be able to soften its image until it untethers itself from the delusions that Obamacare will be repealed and that you can cut spending forever with no consequences.

By Greg Sargent  |  09:07 AM ET, 04/25/2013 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
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Posted at 09:10 AM ET, 04/24/2013

The Morning Plum: The next challenge for gun reform advocates
By Greg Sargent
They need to prove that Senators who fail to support common sense efforts to limit gun violence can be made to pay a genuine political price, even in red states.

By Greg Sargent  |  09:10 AM ET, 04/24/2013 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
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Posted at 09:24 AM ET, 04/22/2013

The Morning Plum: Boston bombings probably won't derail immigration reform push
By Greg Sargent
The only nativist sentiment that will be stoked by the Boston bombings is already pretty stoked to begin with.

By Greg Sargent  |  09:24 AM ET, 04/22/2013 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
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Posted at 09:14 AM ET, 04/19/2013

The Morning Plum: Foes of immigration reform pounce on Boston bombing
By Greg Sargent
It's unclear how aggressively the right will seek to draw a link between the Chechen bombing suspects and the immigration reform debate, but if this line picks up steam it will again demonstrate how hard reform will be to accomplish.

By Greg Sargent  |  09:14 AM ET, 04/19/2013 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
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Posted at 09:09 AM ET, 04/17/2013

The Morning Plum: If gun proposal dies, what happens when there's another shooting?
By Greg Sargent
The history of gun control politics tells us that there will always be another massacre.

By Greg Sargent  |  09:09 AM ET, 04/17/2013 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
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Posted at 08:45 AM ET, 04/16/2013

The Morning Plum: Will red state Dems kill expanded background checks?
By Greg Sargent
When Obama asserted during his SOTU speech that the Newtown families "deserve a vote" on gun reform, Senators applauded. Will they make good on that applause?

By Greg Sargent  |  08:45 AM ET, 04/16/2013 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
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Posted at 08:46 AM ET, 04/15/2013

The Morning Plum: Background checks a major test for self-described `moderate' Republicans
By Greg Sargent
If you want to understand why progress in Washington is impossible, note that a group backed by Rand Paul is now attacking Susan Collins for daring to even think about compromising with Dems on guns.

By Greg Sargent  |  08:46 AM ET, 04/15/2013 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
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Posted at 09:11 AM ET, 04/12/2013

The Morning Plum: The GOP's policy nihilism
By Greg Sargent
Mark yesterday down on your calendars as the day the GOP's fiscal ruse was finally unmasked with total clarity.

By Greg Sargent  |  09:11 AM ET, 04/12/2013 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
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Posted at 09:09 AM ET, 04/11/2013

The Morning Plum: How expanded background checks could pass the House
By Greg Sargent
GOP Rep. Peter King says the emerging background check compromise could actually pass the House of Representatives -- under the right circumstances. This isn't over yet.

By Greg Sargent  |  09:09 AM ET, 04/11/2013 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
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Posted at 09:09 AM ET, 04/10/2013

The Morning Plum: Obama makes Republicans an offer they will refuse
By Greg Sargent
The President's new budget gives Republicans precisely what they themselves asked for, but it will be rejected out of hand anyway.

By Greg Sargent  |  09:09 AM ET, 04/10/2013 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
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Posted at 09:10 AM ET, 04/09/2013

The Morning Plum: Mitch McConnell joins far right fringe on guns
By Greg Sargent
There is still a way for the gun control side to win, even if it's a long shot.

By Greg Sargent  |  09:10 AM ET, 04/09/2013 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
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Posted at 09:17 AM ET, 04/08/2013

The Morning Plum: Revisit filibuster reform, Harry Reid
By Greg Sargent
If the GOP's obstruction of a proposal that is supported by nine in 10 Americans isn't enough to prompt Dems to take another look at rules reform, nothing will be.

By Greg Sargent  |  09:17 AM ET, 04/08/2013 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
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Posted at 09:13 AM ET, 04/04/2013

The Morning Plum: The GOP dilemma on immigration
By Greg Sargent
Second class citizenship is not the answer to the GOP's problem. Republicans will have to embrace citizenship, or we're not getting reform.

By Greg Sargent  |  09:13 AM ET, 04/04/2013 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
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Posted at 09:02 AM ET, 04/03/2013

The Morning Plum: Republicans increasingly isolated on many major issues
By Greg Sargent
Polls show that Republican voters are out of step with the American mainstream on everything from immigration to health care to taxes to entitlements to marriage equality. Does this matter?

By Greg Sargent  |  09:02 AM ET, 04/03/2013 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
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Posted at 09:19 AM ET, 04/02/2013

The Morning Plum: The sequester is not a Beltway joke
By Greg Sargent
It's time to subject the GOP claim of sequestration "victory" to more skepticism and scrutiny.

By Greg Sargent  |  09:19 AM ET, 04/02/2013 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
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Posted at 09:06 AM ET, 04/01/2013

The Morning Plum: Will the GOP base ever allow the party to evolve?
By Greg Sargent
The views of rank and file Republicans on immigration, health care, gay rights, and the proper role and scope of government is impeding the party's makeover.

By Greg Sargent  |  09:06 AM ET, 04/01/2013 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Moring Plum, Morning Plum

Posted at 09:11 AM ET, 03/29/2013

The Morning Plum: Keep talking about jobs, Mr. President
By Greg Sargent
Obama should keep pushing his proposal for more infrastructure spending to get the economy going, as a corrective to Washington's unhealthy obsession with the deficit.

By Greg Sargent  |  09:11 AM ET, 03/29/2013 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
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Posted at 09:18 AM ET, 03/28/2013

The Morning Plum: Don't punt, Dems. It's not too late to defeat the NRA.
By Greg Sargent
The time for red state Democrats to declare independence from the NRA is right now.

By Greg Sargent  |  09:18 AM ET, 03/28/2013 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
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Posted at 09:17 AM ET, 03/27/2013

The Morning Plum: Another hugely consequential day for gay rights
By Greg Sargent
Today the Supreme Court will attack the core questions at the heart of the gay marriage debate in ways that could have far reaching ramifications.

By Greg Sargent  |  09:17 AM ET, 03/27/2013 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
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Posted at 09:14 AM ET, 03/26/2013

The Morning Plum: From Stonewall to the Supreme Court
By Greg Sargent
Anyone who has had an up close view of anti-gay bigotry in all its ugliness truly understands what's at take today.

By Greg Sargent  |  09:14 AM ET, 03/26/2013 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
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Posted at 09:15 AM ET, 03/25/2013

The Morning Plum: Will red state Dems punt on gun reform?
By Greg Sargent
Liberals and Democrats across the country need to let red state Democrats know -- right now -- that failing to universal background checks is unacceptable.

By Greg Sargent  |  09:15 AM ET, 03/25/2013 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
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Posted at 09:14 AM ET, 03/22/2013

The Morning Plum: No, the Ryan vision is not a winner for the GOP
By Greg Sargent
Republicans can't cut loose the Ryan plan, so they are trying to repackage it as a winner by talking about everything except what's actually in it.

By Greg Sargent  |  09:14 AM ET, 03/22/2013 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
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Posted at 09:10 AM ET, 03/21/2013

The Morning Plum: The GOP's self-refuting argument on guns
By Greg Sargent
The "gun rights" brigade likes to argue that we don't need expanded background checks because "criminals don't respect the law." But that's exactly why we do need expanded background checks.

By Greg Sargent  |  09:10 AM ET, 03/21/2013 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
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Posted at 08:55 AM ET, 03/20/2013

The Morning Plum: A nation of Keynesians
By Greg Sargent
A new poll finds overwhelming public support for federal spending to create jobs. Even a majority of Republicans backs this. So can we talk about it now?

By Greg Sargent  |  08:55 AM ET, 03/20/2013 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
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Posted at 09:21 AM ET, 03/18/2013

The Morning Plum: Being the party of austerity is not the way to win
By Greg Sargent
A GOP pollster warns fellow Republicans that being the party of spending-cuts-only is not a winning position. There are no signs any of them are listening.

By Greg Sargent  |  09:21 AM ET, 03/18/2013 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
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Posted at 09:21 AM ET, 03/15/2013

The Morning Plum: The GOP's self-defeating strategy in fiscal fight
By Greg Sargent
Until Republicans acknowledge the basic reality of the situation, no progress will be possible.

By Greg Sargent  |  09:21 AM ET, 03/15/2013 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
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Posted at 09:23 AM ET, 03/14/2013

The Morning Plum: Where's the leadership, John Boehner?
By Greg Sargent
After offering a governing blueprint that shreds Democratic priorities on every level and offers zero in concessions, Republicans are calling on Obama to show leadership.

By Greg Sargent  |  09:23 AM ET, 03/14/2013 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
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Posted at 09:19 AM ET, 03/13/2013

The Morning Plum: No, the GOP isn't "winning" the argument over sequester
By Greg Sargent
A new poll finds that solid majorities reject every main conservative argument about the sequester -- which casts doubt on the notion that Republicans are "winning" the argument over it.

By Greg Sargent  |  09:19 AM ET, 03/13/2013 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Morning Plum, sequester

Posted at 09:16 AM ET, 03/11/2013

The Morning Plum: Didn't we just have an election?
By Greg Sargent
Republicans decisively lost an election that was all about whether we should invest in and expand the safety net -- and are now doubling down on their insistence that we roll it back.

By Greg Sargent  |  09:16 AM ET, 03/11/2013 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
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Posted at 09:14 AM ET, 03/08/2013

The Morning Plum: Wake up, Republicans -- gay marriage is on the march
By Greg Sargent
A new poll finds that gay marriage has its broadest support among the voter groups the GOP can afford to alienate the least.

By Greg Sargent  |  09:14 AM ET, 03/08/2013 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
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Posted at 09:21 AM ET, 03/07/2013

The Morning Plum: What Rand Paul's filibuster accomplished
By Greg Sargent
By showing us what real filibustering looks like, Senator Paul provided a reminder of just how badly day-to-day filibustering is damaging the Senate.

By Greg Sargent  |  09:21 AM ET, 03/07/2013 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
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Posted at 09:20 AM ET, 03/06/2013

The Morning Plum: Obama urges Republicans to take Yes for an answer
By Greg Sargent
The President is now going around GOP leaders to try to woo Republican lawmakers who might be open to a deal.

By Greg Sargent  |  09:20 AM ET, 03/06/2013 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
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Posted at 09:16 AM ET, 03/05/2013

The Morning Plum: A tale of two Washington lies
By Greg Sargent
At bottom, the raging "false equivalency" debate is about the fundamental imbalance in the two parties' positions on the great fiscal debate facing the country.

By Greg Sargent  |  09:16 AM ET, 03/05/2013 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
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Posted at 08:54 AM ET, 03/04/2013

The Morning Plum: The one question every GOP lawmaker should be asked
By Greg Sargent
Republicans need to be asked whether there is any ratio of entitlement cuts to new revenues they'd be willing to accept.

By Greg Sargent  |  08:54 AM ET, 03/04/2013 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
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Posted at 09:13 AM ET, 03/01/2013

The Morning Plum: Happy Sequester Day! We're still stuck in the wrong conversation.
By Greg Sargent
The fact that we're debating how much austerity to implement at a time of mass unemployment shows that we're still stuck in the mistaken mindset of 2011.

By Greg Sargent  |  09:13 AM ET, 03/01/2013 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
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Posted at 09:26 AM ET, 02/28/2013

The Morning Plum: How both sides really view the sequester
By Greg Sargent
The GOP's refusal to detail specific spending cuts reveals an awareness that they'd be political poison.

By Greg Sargent  |  09:26 AM ET, 02/28/2013 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
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Posted at 09:13 AM ET, 02/27/2013

The Morning Plum: How's that GOP "makeover" going?
By Greg Sargent
A new poll finds the GOP lagging far behind on many of the major issues facing the country -- the political context within which the battle over the sequester will unfold.

By Greg Sargent  |  09:13 AM ET, 02/27/2013 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
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Posted at 09:12 AM ET, 02/26/2013

The Morning Plum: The false equivalence pundits are part of the problem
By Greg Sargent
David Brooks and the "centrist dodge."

By Greg Sargent  |  09:12 AM ET, 02/26/2013 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
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Posted at 09:06 AM ET, 02/25/2013

The Morning Plum: Republican governors urge GOP to act on sequester
By Greg Sargent
GOP governors whose states are in the sequester's crosshairs are suddenly finding that GOP intransigence on fiscal matters isn't so wonderful, after all.

By Greg Sargent  |  09:06 AM ET, 02/25/2013 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
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Posted at 09:02 AM ET, 02/21/2013

The Morning Plum: On issues, GOP is badly out of step with America
By Greg Sargent
A new Pew survey finds that the GOP position on major issues facing the country is held by one-third or fewer Americans.

By Greg Sargent  |  09:02 AM ET, 02/21/2013 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
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Posted at 09:13 AM ET, 02/20/2013

The Morning Plum: Americans will blame GOP for sequester
By Greg Sargent
Republicans who believe they'll be able to shift the blame for the sequester to Obama should probably reconsider the results of the last election.

By Greg Sargent  |  09:13 AM ET, 02/20/2013 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
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Posted at 09:17 AM ET, 02/19/2013

The Morning Plum: GOP is in weak position in sequester fight
By Greg Sargent
In trying to shift blame for the sequester to Obama, Republicans are implicitly admitting that deep spending cuts are politically perilous for whichever party owns them.

By Greg Sargent  |  09:17 AM ET, 02/19/2013 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
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Posted at 09:07 AM ET, 02/15/2013

The Morning Plum: Over 100 House Dems tell Obama -- no cuts to entitlement benefits
By Greg Sargent
Many liberals still worry that in the end, the White House and Democrats will accept cuts to entitlements benefits to reach a fiscal deal.

By Greg Sargent  |  09:07 AM ET, 02/15/2013 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
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Posted at 09:12 AM ET, 02/14/2013

The Morning Plum: Dems to use minimum wage against GOP in 2014
By Greg Sargent
Democrats are convinced that the minimum wage fight will play directly to voter perceptions of which party is really on the side of economically struggling Americans.

By Greg Sargent  |  09:12 AM ET, 02/14/2013 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
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Posted at 09:11 AM ET, 02/13/2013

The Morning Plum: Obama's ambitious second term agenda intensifies GOP's dilemma
By Greg Sargent
Republicans now need to decide if they want to play the role of a functional opposition party.

By Greg Sargent  |  09:11 AM ET, 02/13/2013 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
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Posted at 09:21 AM ET, 02/12/2013

The Morning Plum: Marco Rubio won't offer any real GOP "alternative"
By Greg Sargent
As long as Republicans remain tethered to reflexive government-is-bad rhetoric, they will struggle to articulate a positive role government can play in people's lives.

By Greg Sargent  |  09:21 AM ET, 02/12/2013 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
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Posted at 09:18 AM ET, 02/11/2013

The Morning Plum: Go on offense, Mr. President
By Greg Sargent
The emerging majority coalition that reelected Obama agrees with his vision of government. The President should speak to those voters in his State of the Union speech.

By Greg Sargent  |  09:18 AM ET, 02/11/2013 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
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Posted at 09:15 AM ET, 02/08/2013

The Morning Plum: Only one party is willing to compromise. It isn't the GOP.
By Greg Sargent
The GOP's explicit position on the sequester is that allowing it to happen is preferable to compromising with Dems.

By Greg Sargent  |  09:15 AM ET, 02/08/2013 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
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Posted at 09:11 AM ET, 02/07/2013

The Morning Plum: GOP resolve on sequester begins to crack
By Greg Sargent
Republicans face a stark choice: Either agree to a compromise that gives both sides what they want, or let the sequester gut defense and scuttle the recovery.

By Greg Sargent  |  09:11 AM ET, 02/07/2013 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
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Posted at 09:05 AM ET, 02/06/2013

The Morning Plum: On immigration, Dems hold the middle ground, and Republicans don't
By Greg Sargent
One party holds the compromise position. The other simply doesn't.

By Greg Sargent  |  09:05 AM ET, 02/06/2013 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
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Posted at 09:15 AM ET, 02/05/2013

The Morning Plum: Immigration reform in jeopardy?
By Greg Sargent
OPINION | House Republicans are not prepared to support a path to citizenship -- another reminder of just how hard the road to real reform remains.

By Greg Sargent  |  09:15 AM ET, 02/05/2013 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
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Posted at 09:02 AM ET, 02/04/2013

The Morning Plum: The problem with the Obama skeet shooting "controversy"
By Greg Sargent
This "controversy" is entirely irrelevant to the gun reform proposals that are actually being discussed. Other than that, it's really, really newsworthy!

By Greg Sargent  |  09:02 AM ET, 02/04/2013 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
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Posted at 09:19 AM ET, 02/01/2013

The Morning Plum: Memo to Gayle Trotter -- on guns, you don't speak for most "American women"
By Greg Sargent
The vast majority of American women don't want scary assault weapons to protect themselves. Instead, they want sensible gun regulations.

By Greg Sargent  |  09:19 AM ET, 02/01/2013 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
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Posted at 09:17 AM ET, 01/31/2013

The Morning Plum: GOP still can't shake that "47 percent" problem
By Greg Sargent
New anti-government comments from Virginia attorney general Ken Cuccinnelli, a rising star in the GOP, perfectly capture the reasons the party is struggling to remake itself.

By Greg Sargent  |  09:17 AM ET, 01/31/2013 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
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Posted at 09:16 AM ET, 01/30/2013

The Morning Plum: Five questions for the NRA's Wayne LaPierre
By Greg Sargent
At today's hearing, Senators need to expose the NRA's extremism, and reveal for all to see that the organization's views are way out of step with the American mainstream.

By Greg Sargent  |  09:16 AM ET, 01/30/2013 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
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Posted at 09:14 AM ET, 01/29/2013

The Morning Plum: Confusion envelops Senate immigration plan
By Greg Sargent
The Gang of 8 still differs on the fundamentals of how to reform our immigration system.

By Greg Sargent  |  09:14 AM ET, 01/29/2013 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
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Posted at 09:16 AM ET, 01/28/2013

The Morning Plum: The ground shifts on immigration
By Greg Sargent
The new immigration reform plan is a big step forward, but some major unanswered questions remain.

By Greg Sargent  |  09:16 AM ET, 01/28/2013 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
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Posted at 09:14 AM ET, 01/25/2013

The Morning Plum: What's next for filibuster reformers?
By Greg Sargent
A leading reformer, Tom Udall, vows to revisit the need for change "every two years," if necessary, and urges outside groups to remain on altert.

By Greg Sargent  |  09:14 AM ET, 01/25/2013 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
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Posted at 09:17 AM ET, 01/24/2013

The Morning Plum: Obama as the anti-Reagan
By Greg Sargent
Obama is attempting to recast progressivism in the eyes of the nation in just as ambitious a way as Reagan did with conservatism.

By Greg Sargent  |  09:17 AM ET, 01/24/2013 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
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Posted at 09:21 AM ET, 01/23/2013

The Morning Plum: GOP's magic debt ceiling plan won't solve the problem
By Greg Sargent
The primary reason we're having a governing crisis is that Republicans don't want to agree to more revenues from rich people.

By Greg Sargent  |  09:21 AM ET, 01/23/2013 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
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Posted at 09:17 AM ET, 01/22/2013

The Morning Plum: What Obama's Inaugural tells us about the next four years
By Greg Sargent
Obama's refusal to play the "bipartisan outreach" game is an important first step towards recognizing that the GOP has ceased to operate as a functional opposition party.

By Greg Sargent  |  09:17 AM ET, 01/22/2013 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
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Posted at 09:18 AM ET, 01/18/2013

The Morning Plum: No more games. Just release the hostage.
By Greg Sargent
A temporary debt ceiling hike won't solve the GOP's problem.

By Greg Sargent  |  09:18 AM ET, 01/18/2013 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Morning Plum

Posted at 09:13 AM ET, 01/17/2013

The Morning Plum: The question every member of Congress should answer
By Greg Sargent
Media outlets focusing only on the assault weapons ban are getting it wrong. The universal background check is at least as important -- and it could become law.

By Greg Sargent  |  09:13 AM ET, 01/17/2013 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Morning Plum

Posted at 09:22 AM ET, 01/16/2013

The Morning Plum: The increasingly isolated GOP
By Greg Sargent
An increasingly fringe view is driving the GOP's approach to a fiscal debate that could have long term consequences for the country.

By Greg Sargent  |  09:22 AM ET, 01/16/2013 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Morning Plum

Posted at 09:15 AM ET, 01/15/2013

The Morning Plum: Conservatives surrendering in debt ceiling fight?
By Greg Sargent
An increasing number of Republicans and conservatives are acknowledging that they don't have the leverage they claim.

By Greg Sargent  |  09:15 AM ET, 01/15/2013 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Mornign Plum, Morning Plum

Posted at 09:10 AM ET, 01/14/2013

The Morning Plum: The debt ceiling is the GOP's problem. Lather, rinse, repeat.
By Greg Sargent
Again: If Republicans want to threaten to destroy the economy to get their way, it's their problem.

By Greg Sargent  |  09:10 AM ET, 01/14/2013 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  debt ceiling, guns guns guns, Morning Plum, platinum coin

Posted at 09:21 AM ET, 01/11/2013

The Morning Plum: The NRA's Big Lies
By Greg Sargent
The organization's Second Amendment alarmism, extreme views on sensible gun regulation, and outright dishonesty render it less and less credible.

By Greg Sargent  |  09:21 AM ET, 01/11/2013 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  debt ceiling, gun control, Morning Plum, nra, platinum coin

Posted at 09:17 AM ET, 01/10/2013

The Morning Plum: Will any Republicans support sensible gun law reforms?
By Greg Sargent
Perhaps some moderate Republicans can be induced to resist the increasing southernization of the GOP.

By Greg Sargent  |  09:17 AM ET, 01/10/2013 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  debt ceiling, gun control, Morning Plum, platinum coin

Posted at 09:15 AM ET, 01/09/2013

The Morning Plum: Clever GOP spin on debt ceiling
By Greg Sargent
Republicans are painstakingly defining the debt ceiling hike as a concession they will be making to Obama, rather than as something that must be done to protect the country from financial disaster. And news orgs are playing along.

By Greg Sargent  |  09:15 AM ET, 01/09/2013 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  debt ceiling, fiscal cliff, gun control, Morning Plum, platinum coin

Posted at 09:26 AM ET, 01/08/2013

The Morning Plum: Job one for the White House -- isolate the NRA
By Greg Sargent
The White House and Democrats appear to be fully engaged for the fight to come. They will have to be.

By Greg Sargent  |  09:26 AM ET, 01/08/2013 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  debt ceiling, fiscal cliff, gun control, Morning Plum, nra

Posted at 09:25 AM ET, 01/07/2013

The Morning Plum: No, we are not 'finished' with the tax debate
By Greg Sargent
Republicans will have to agree to more in revenues, whether they like it or not.

By Greg Sargent  |  09:25 AM ET, 01/07/2013 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  debt ceiling platinum coin, fiscal cliff, Morning Plum

Posted at 09:17 AM ET, 01/04/2013

The Morning Plum: What does 'not negotiating' look like?
By Greg Sargent
Obama and Dems vow not to negotiate with the GOP over the debt limit, but it's not clear they have any choice.

By Greg Sargent  |  09:17 AM ET, 01/04/2013 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  debt ceiling, fiscal cliff, immigration reform, Morning Plum

Posted at 09:10 AM ET, 01/03/2013

The Morning Plum: Media shouldn't get rolled by GOP debt ceiling spin
By Greg Sargent
News accounts are portraying the looming debt limit standoff as a standard Washington negotiation. It isn't.

By Greg Sargent  |  09:10 AM ET, 01/03/2013 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  debt ceiling, filibuster reform, fiscal cliff, Immigration, Morning Plum

Posted at 09:11 AM ET, 01/02/2013

The Morning Plum: GOP can't put Tea Party genie back in bottle
By Greg Sargent
Yesterday's events confirm again that House conservatives may no longer be capable of being part of the conversation over how to move the country forward.

By Greg Sargent  |  09:11 AM ET, 01/02/2013 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Bush tax cuts, fiscal cliff, gun control, Morning Plum, Republicans, Tea Party

Posted at 09:13 AM ET, 12/21/2012

The Morning Plum: In Plan B implosion, House conservatives exit the conversation
By Greg Sargent
Last night's outcome confirms that House conservatives may not be capable of playing any role in the conversation over how to move the country forward.

By Greg Sargent  |  09:13 AM ET, 12/21/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  fiscal cliff, gun control, john boehner, Morning Plum, Newtown

Posted at 09:14 AM ET, 12/20/2012

The Morning Plum: White House should let Boehner keep twisting in the wind
By Greg Sargent
The President has already given enough ground. No more concessions.

By Greg Sargent  |  09:14 AM ET, 12/20/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Bush tax cuts, fiscal cliff, john boehner, Morning Plum

Posted at 09:17 AM ET, 12/19/2012

The Morning Plum: Gun 'rights' on the defensive
By Greg Sargent
It now seems certain that we will find out whether meaningful gun law reform is possible if it is actually attempted.

By Greg Sargent  |  09:17 AM ET, 12/19/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  fiscal cliff, gun control, Morning Plum, Newtown

Posted at 09:14 AM ET, 12/18/2012

The Morning Plum: Should progressives accept emerging fiscal cliff deal?
By Greg Sargent
The devil will be in the details of the proposal to cut Social Security.

By Greg Sargent  |  09:14 AM ET, 12/18/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  fiscal cliff, Morning Plum, Newtown, Social Security

Posted at 09:13 AM ET, 12/17/2012

The Morning Plum: Is 'God, guns, and gays' losing its peril for Democrats?
By Greg Sargent
Demographic shifts mean that Dems no longer need rural white conservatives -- and no longer need to fear the cultural issues they care so much about.

By Greg Sargent  |  09:13 AM ET, 12/17/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  debt ceiling, fiscal cliff, gun control, john boehner, Morning Plum, Newton

Posted at 09:12 AM ET, 12/14/2012

The Morning Plum: Destructive anti-tax fanaticism
By Greg Sargent
The GOP cannot evolve if it refuses to recognize the reality of broader public opinion.

By Greg Sargent  |  09:12 AM ET, 12/14/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Bush tax cuts, fiscal cliff, Medicare, Morning Plum

Posted at 09:07 AM ET, 12/13/2012

The Morning Plum: Dems hold the middle ground. GOP is on fringe.
By Greg Sargent
There is no longer any doubt: The main obstacle to any compromise is the GOP's insistence on clinging to a fringe position on taxes, one far outside the American mainstream.

By Greg Sargent  |  09:07 AM ET, 12/13/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Bush tax cuts, fiscal cliff, labor, Morning Plum, right to work

Posted at 09:12 AM ET, 12/12/2012

The Morning Plum: Don't raise the Medicare eligibility age, Mr. President
By Greg Sargent
In an interview with ABC News, Obama declines to rule it out. But he was not elected to give away people's Medicare.

By Greg Sargent  |  09:12 AM ET, 12/12/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Bush tax cuts, fiscal cliff, Medicare, Morning Plum

Posted at 09:15 AM ET, 12/11/2012

The Morning Plum: A way out for labor in Michigan?
By Greg Sargent
There may be a way to force a popular vote on the "right to work" law.

By Greg Sargent  |  09:15 AM ET, 12/11/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Collective bargaining, fiscal cliff, labor, Morning Plum, right to work

Posted at 09:09 AM ET, 12/10/2012

The Morning Plum: National Dems not giving up on Michigan "right to work" fight
By Greg Sargent
Top Michigan Democrats are meeting with Governor Rick Snyder to urge him to find a way out of the impasse, rather than further divide the state.

By Greg Sargent  |  09:09 AM ET, 12/10/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Bush tax cuts, fiscal cliff, Gay marriage, john boehner, labor, Morning Plum

Posted at 09:10 AM ET, 12/07/2012

The Morning Plum: Time for fiscal cliff talks to focus on jobs
By Greg Sargent
The current crisis isn't just about taxes and entitlements. It's also about jobs. Time to focus on unemployment.

By Greg Sargent  |  09:10 AM ET, 12/07/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  fiscal cliff, Morning Plum, Stimulus, unemployment

Posted at 08:56 AM ET, 12/06/2012

The Morning Plum: A way out of the impasse?
By Greg Sargent
There is a way out of the fiscal cliff predicament for Republicans. The question is whether conservatives will allow them to take it.

By Greg Sargent  |  08:56 AM ET, 12/06/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Bush tax cuts, fiscal cliff, john boehner, Morning Plum

Posted at 09:09 AM ET, 12/05/2012

The Morning Plum: Why Obama won't negotiate with GOP over debt ceiling
By Greg Sargent
Republicans are planning to use the debt limit crisis to extort deep entitlements cuts. Here's why Obama won't play along.

By Greg Sargent  |  09:09 AM ET, 12/05/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  barack obama, fiscal cliff, Mitch McConnell, Morning Plum

Posted at 09:10 AM ET, 12/04/2012

The Morning Plum: GOPers expect to cave on tax rates for rich
By Greg Sargent
A well-connected conservative reporter says it's only a matter of time until Republicans cave on higher tax rates on the rich.

By Greg Sargent  |  09:10 AM ET, 12/04/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  barack obama, Bush tax cuts, fiscal cliff, john boehner, Mitch McConnell, Morning Plum

Posted at 08:59 AM ET, 12/03/2012

The Morning Plum: No more false equivalence. Both sides are not equally to blame.
By Greg Sargent
Our daily roundup of news and opinion.

By Greg Sargent  |  08:59 AM ET, 12/03/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  barack obama, fiscal cliff, john boehner, Morning Plum

Posted at 09:05 AM ET, 11/30/2012

The Morning Plum: Skittish Democrats putting filibuster reform in peril
By Greg Sargent
Our daily roundup of news and opinion.

By Greg Sargent  |  09:05 AM ET, 11/30/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  barack obama, congress, fiscal cliff, Morning Plum, Senate